Just spent half an hour typing in a report for today and the floppin PC crashed.

Heres a summary

Top blokes instructing inc Helen

Old stuff covered. New stuff covered. Lots of old stuff now coming back.

Best COURSE (meet) in the land for all of Â£25 to the best CAUSE in the land.

The course (meet) is for anyone of any experience who can fall off a yak in any sea condition.

My kids (6,6 and 8) were asking pertinent questions on the way home after earwigging on the theory bit this aft - a testement to Simon and Pauls delivery style.

Anyone hesitating on attending one of these meets - just do it - newbies are treated as humans and Â£25 gets you about 100 yds down Whitby Harbour. (Fish and chips, ice creams and a donkey ride) - I know, we did it yesterday just before the squall.

Must say a great meet ,simon paul and helen,were very informative (even though i dont have a yak yet) hope that i get the nod from the wife :whistle: it was also good to see my mates garry and dav getting back on there kayack's after there ordeal , i was watching them through my binoculars and they took to it like a duck to water, (sea) :surprise: i would like to say well done ken on your target speciese place, we will have to see the photo's :whistle: first and debate it good to see you all tight lines HARRY

A really enjoyable weekend, met some old friends and some new, put faces to names. The safety course is a must, it`s very helpful to beginners and experienced alike, having started the day with a few serious/apprehensive looking faces, it progressed with great presentation and content from the team Paul, Simon, John & Helen to a point where even the wariest members of the course were expressing themselves at ease. When the R.N.L.I. arrived they were in much the same position as us yakkers, they were there to learn something which with our help they did and when I say our help I mean, the instruction team were still on the water while we were on the RIB with the lifeboat crew exchanging ideas about fishing kayak rescue. It was the inshore boat from Staithes and they now know what they will be facing if they get called out to us yakkers, they also know they can fit 7 S.O.T. fishing kayaks on their boat along with their crew and the 7 yakkers.
As the day went on peoples confindence grew and I think everyone finished feeling a lot more comfortable with the side of kayak fishing that no one wants to think about. This course will be run again I don`t know when but, next time don`t miss out, the other lads on the course will agree the knowledge you gain is very valuable but the boost to your confidence only you will be able to measure.

Must say what an enjoyable and informative day which i really enjoyed, i will admit i had butterfly's in my stomach before we set out :sick: :vomit:, as this was only my second time out in a kayak after my first time out nearly ended in disaster :scared:, but after about 15mins on the water and with the help of Simon, Paul, John and Helen and all of the lads on the course i found the confidence coming back and really started to enjoy myself, i really enjoyed doing the self rescue stuff and we even learned how to empty a kayak of water whilst out at sea, and we also had a go at letting off flares which the safety officer from redcar RNLI had brought along for us to have a go with , all in all a great day with some great people what more could you ask for.. :happy: :happy: I am really glad i attened the course and i have learnt a hell of a lot and thanks to all the forum lads for there encouragment as i came very close to to selling up before i had really give it a chance which would of been a shame.

What can I say, I had a very enjoyable and informative day yesterday. I personally learnt a lot from the course so now feel much more confident and prepared, HIGHLY recommended to any thinking of attending any future courses.

It was nice to meet the guys again plus meet some new ones, look forward to seeing you out on the water soon.

BIG thank to Paul, Simon, John & Helen (& Ken for sorting it out on here) for going to so much trouble and effort, I've taken a lot from the course so thank you. Also a big thank you to the Runswick lifeboat crew for taking the time to work with us, it was the first time I've been hauled into a lifeboat and hopefully the last :cheesy:

Just home at last with a van full of wet smelly gear that needs sorting. One of the best things to also come out of the weekend is that Â£500 was raised for the RNLI from your course fees and the raffle etc we had on the campsite, so very well done everyone. What a brill weekend, Ducky made it through alive, the weather held up even if a bit windy, we didn't get thrown off the campsite, we all learnt something and the RNLI are richer :happy: .

totally gutted that me and my son lee couldnt make it......due to footy matches he was playing....it sounds like we missed a real good and informative weekend.....we are definately going to do the next one.....

( lee lost his cup match on saturday 2 - 1 but won his league match 6 - 0 on sunday....not too bad he only let in 1 goal and made some superb saves stopping definate goals.....)

Just to say the course is a absolute must for anyone wishing to kayak fish ,very informative and interesting the instructors were very professional and friendly I can't recommend anyone more highly. A big thanks to all that attended you lot are a great bunch of lads and lasses thoroughly enjoyed the weekend ,hope to get out with you soon.

just a quick personal thankyou from helen and me, the welcome you gave us was fantastic and we know we have made some cracking new friends,
yes you are tight when it comes to paying for parking ;D but what great hearts you have when greeting friends and helping raise funds for the RNLI ...we take our hats off to you all.

our Ken pulled out all the stops and arranged a great weekend ..thankyou mate..

but i must say the meet would not have been successfull without you guys and your enthiusiasm ..a massive well done to all of you and thankyou

Well, what can I say? I haven't finished unloading the car yet, gear is partly washed out and pictures have been nowhere near a computer yet, but tomorrow will see all that caught up on.

Thank you for such a warm welcome and such a generous response. Ken, as always, came up trumps with accommodation and something to eat. I don't know how he organises himself so well and where does he get his energy from? Evereyone who came out deserves thanks for making the effort. Both days it required an effort with the conditions. Waves never look as big on the pictures and the wind on the Sunday was very deceptive and kept people warm paddling back into it every so often.

The party on Friday night and again on Saturday night meant it was a bleary drive home! I never knew you lot could polish off a litre of whiskey so fast. Must make sure I get some myself next time.

Newrecord for number of kayaks and paddlers rescued in one sitting....7 on the Atlantic 75 as oppossed to the existing record of 6 on the larger Atlantic 85. I wonder how long that will remain the case!